Car-coupler positioning device



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UNITED j STATES LESLIE B. GRAHAM, 0F EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 TUN ION METAL PROD- PATEN'1--v oFFICE.; y

- UCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

4 CAR-.COUPLES POSITIONING- DEVICE.

` Application led July V6, 1926. Serial No. 129,674.

This device relates to means for auto'- matically positioningthe coupler of a railway carby gravity.

Two railway cars are automatically'coupled together by the movement of theirrespective couplers forcing the tails of the pivoted knuckles behind gravitylocks. The couplers are mounted in the cars so as to permit alimited amount of lateral movement. Such limitation is necessary and essential because if the couplers were allowedto move tooy far to either side, the couplers; of the two cars being coupled would pass each other and not automatic coupler. The greater the lateral movement of a coupler the less side pressureV on the striking vcasting when the cars are go# ing Varound curves. This lateral pressure forces the wheel fiangesagainst the' rail causing-considerable `friction and'wearing ofthe rails andvwheels. l

`One of the objects of the invention is'to in-v crease I the amount of permissible lateral movement of a coupler by providing automatic means forv returning the couplers tothe longitudinal center of the car or at leastclose enough thereto so that the automatic couplers will couple. This is what is termedthe"co'u pling range.

Itis very often necessary to couple cars on curves and frequently when the radius of the curve is very small, as is common 'around industrial p-l ants, the couplersof the twol cars will be soifar'out of alignmentl that they will not automatically couple. Another object ofr` the invention is tovautomatically bring such couplers within coupling range. The outside rail-of a curved trackis raised"`above the inside rail andvI provide ymeans Wherebythe coupler is moved toward the insideV of the curve by gravity.` means also returns the coupler to the longitu-v dinal center of the car when the car moves from thecurved to the straight part ofthe track. In my device the lateral movement'between the coupler and the carrier is eliminated, thus Coupler positioning devices reduces thev This automatic `gravity number of broken'knuckles and guard arms on "couplers which members arel frequently bent or broken when'the couplers are not 4Such devices also .reduce the number of accidents to trainmen as they are not required to go between the cars within coupling range.

andl position the coupler preparatory to coupling.

VA common form of carv coupler positioning of the coupler (and its associated parts).

about the point of support, thus increasing the resultant force tending to return the cou,- pler to the longitudinal'center of the car (or away therefrom when the car listipped).` l'

In my device the coupler carrier is'swingably 'suspended from any convenient part of the car by a link at each of its ends. At least one of theseflinks hasspaced'apart trunnions both preferably supporting the coupler car#rk i i rier when it is in its normal central position..l

Whenthe carrier swings in one direction,.one

ofthe trunnions moves away ytrom its journal bearing, thus shifting the load on the link entirely to the other portion. A similar'faction takes place when the .carrier swings in the 4 opposite' direction. .It is preferable that the carrier maintain a horizontal position at all r times, which is accomplished arranging the links sothat a vertical plane passing through the pivot connectionof the link, bisects the distance between the spaced apart .trunnions of the'link, or when the .double trunnion-construction is used at both ends'o'f a link, a verticalplane bisects the Vdistancesbetween the pairs of spaced apart trunnions'. The double i .i trunnion construction may be used on one or. v. both'ends of one orboth links.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a typical'application ofzmy.

Idevice to a railway car. reducing friction'and consequent wear on the f parts. This is quite an item partlcularly 1n Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of Fig. '.1.

Fig. 3 is a skeleton diagram with the carrier moved laterally.

lFig. 4 is a detail of the link. i

Figs. 5 and 6 are skeleton diagrams showing a` modified form of the device, respectively,

los

when the carrier is in normal position and with the carrier moved laterally.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the upper ends of the links 2 are provided with two spaced apart pintles or trunnions 3-4 which engage pairs of spaced apart journal bearings 5 6` on opposite sides of an aperture 7 (or slot) in the car part preferably when the couplei' 9- and carrier 10 are in normal central position. v Some means, such as lugs 11, are provided to prevent lateral movementl of the coupler relativ-e to the carriciythus stabilizing the device. Awall 12 is interposed between the journal bearings to prevent the trunnions from slipping sidewise so as tomaintainfthem in operative position. the carrier in any desired manner. lVhen the coupler moves laterally toward the right V(for instance) the entire load on the link 2 is shifted to the left trunnion 3, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position the eccentrici'ty of the load about its support is the horizontal distance B between vertical planes 14 and 15A passing, respectively, through the supporting point of the trunnion of the link and the pivot point (13) between the link and the carrier 10.

This double trunnion construction may be used'on one or both of the links or may be used on one or both ends of oneor both links. The actual vadaptation of the invention will depend upon the amount of power desired to operate the device and clearances to be met by the designer. In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the links 30 are provided with a double pintle or trunnion construction at each end. These double trunnions engage pairs of spaced apart journal bearings on opposite si-desof apertures (or slots) in the car part and carrier, respectively, whenl the device is in normal position. A wall is interposed betweenV the pairs'of journal bearings on the car part (12) and carrier (31), respectively, to prevent the trunnions from slipping and so as to maintain them in operative position. l/Vhen the carrier 32 moves laterally toward the right (for instance) the 'entire load on the link is shifted to theleft upper trunnion 3 t and simultaneously the-entire load of the carrier' 32 is shifted lto the right lower trunnion 33 of the link. Y In this position the eccen-V when the coupler moves laterally, both ends lof `the carrier must rise an equal amount.

)When `the double trunnion construction is The links are pivotally connected to used at one end of the link, this parallelograin action is obtained bypositioning the link 2 so that a vertical plane 36 passing through the pivoted connection 13 bisects the distance between the trunnions 3 and 4. When the double trunnion construction is used one end of the link the'parallelogram action is obtained by positioning the link 2 so that a vertical plane 36 passing through the pivoted nions 3 4 forming journals at one end and a single trunnion 42 at the other end. If a pin is' used to pivotally connect the link at one end, that end couldbe perforated for the pin.

The links are preferably duplicates to siinplify manufacture, application and accounting.' They are syn'iinetrical with respect to j a vertical center' plane across their lengths and if the double trunnionV construction is used at both ends of a link, it may 4be'symmeti-ical with respect to center planes across its i'viclthandlength i Y The drawings illustratethe preferred forni ofthe invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe exact details' of construction shown and described, as it is obviou'syjthat various modifications thereof within thev scope `of the claims will occur to persons ,skilled in the art.

I claim: j. j

1. In a railwaycar, the combination of a car part having two pairs of parallel spaced apart journal bearings, a coupler carrier swingingly suspended from said car part by A a pair of links, said links having spaced apart parallel trunnionsat their upper ends yengaging said journal bearings when the device is .in normal position, one tiunnion of each link .moving out of engagement with its bearing when thecarrier moves laterally..

V2. In` a railway car;"tlie combination of a car part element, a coupler carrier element swingably suspended therefrom by apair of links, each of said elements having two parallel spaced .apart journal bearings, one of said links having spaced apart parallel trunnions at both ends 1engagingsaid `j ournal bearings ofsaid elements, respectively, when the device isinnorinal position, two of said trunnions moving out of engagement withits journal whenthe carrier vmoves laterally.

3. In a railway car, the combination ofa cai"l part having two pairsof parallel spaced Y apart journal bearings with a wall therebetween, a coupler carrier swingingly suspended from said car part by a pair of links, said links having spaced apart parallel trunnions at their upper ends engaging said journal bearings when the device is in normal position, one trunnion of each link moving out of engagement with its bearing when the carrier moves laterally.

4. In arailway car; the combination of a car part element, a couplerpcarrierelement swingably suspended therefrom bv a pair of links, each oi said elements having two parallel spaced aparty journal bearings, one of said links having spaced apart parallel trunnions at both ends engaging said journal bearings of said elements. respectively, when the device is in normal position, two of said trunnions moving out of engagement with its journal when the carrier moves laterally, the parts so positioned that a vertical plane bisects the distances between the Oppositely dis-v posed pairs of trunnions.

5. An article of manufacture, a car coupler carrier having each end'bifurcated to form spaced apart portions, each of said portions having two parallel journal bearings with a wall therebetween.

6. An article of manufacture; a suspension link for car coupler carriers having spaced apart parallel trunnions at each end.

7. An article of manufacture; a suspension link for car coupler carriers having spaced apart parallel trunnions at each end', said link spaced apart portions, each of said portions having a pair of spaced apart bearings, and a pair of links swingably suspending said carrier from said car part, each of said links having a pair of spaced apart trunnions at each end, each trunnion attlie upper ends engaging bearings on opposite sides of the slot,`

each trunnion at the lower ends engaging bearings on the opposite bifurcated portion. 10. 1n a railway car; the construction oi a car part element, a coupler carrier element,V

with one ofl said velements having parallel spaced apart Journal bearings and a pair of links svviiigably suspending said carrier from apart parallel trunnions engageable with said journal bearings, whereby the load supported by the link is shifted to one bearing at a predetermined position of the carrier during its swinging movement.

LESLIE B. GRAHAM.

Y said car part, one oi' said links having spaced i* 

